Preparation for this year's Ice Hockey World Championship hosted by Slovakia was accompanied by an unexpected dispute over the design of the jerseys of the national ice hockey team.

In September, the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation introduced to the public its new logo and jerseys. Instead of the traditional motive of the coat of arms, they were decorated with ice hockey sticks that are only reminiscent of the state symbol. The profit from officially licensed merchandise with logo protected by copyright and trademark law could contribute to the developement of ice hockey in Slovakia.

However, this modification of the state symbol on the new kits of the Slovak ice hockey team was heavily criticized by Slovak nationalists. They enforced the adoption of a new law, under which the teams and sportsmen officially representing the country in a significant competition must have the state symbol on their sportswear. It should be dominant and stand out from the other elements in the graphic.

President Andrej Kiska vetoed the amendment of the State Symbol Act and returned it to Parliament. It was not clear until the very last moment which jerseys the ice hockey players would wear at the championship. Finally, the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation came with a compromise solution – the large state symbol on the front of the jersey and the new logo strategically placed on hockey players' shoulders.

 The president's veto was overridden exactly on the opening day of the Ice Hockey World Championship. For now at least the national symbol stays on the jerseys.